Assassin's Creed II: Aid From The Assassin
by Bob Sageyt
Summary: Ezio is in Venice, and meets Alfieri, a young boy who lost his parents to murder by a corrupt nobleman. Ezio ventures out to hunt down and punish the man, as he understands Alfieri's pain. My first story. Contains some Italian profanity.
1. Chapter I

**Assassin's Creed II: Aid From The Assassin**

Chapter I

Ezio looked around. He stood atop a church's steeple in Venice, a light breeze flowing lazily past him. His white robes flapped quietly in the light wind, while his hood shielded his face from others' vision, so that he was harder to recognize. He looked down to the market, which would soon be a bustling center of people. It was early morning, so there was barely any noise to disturb the temporary quiet. _Temporary,_ Ezio thought, _for soon my blade shall fall upon this city. _The Venetian sunrise was more beautiful than he could've ever imagined. He remembered his younger sister Claudia saying one day when she was only 8 years old that she wanted to go to Venice someday and ride in a gondola. The thought made him smile for a moment. He remembered the innocent days of his youth, before it was stained by the blood of conspiracy. Before he knew about the Templars and Assassins. Before his father and brothers were murdered. But he had no time to dwell on the past. He was here for much more important business. As the crimson sun rose slowly over the horizon, he was becoming more visible. An easier target for a city guard to fell with a well-placed arrow. He had to act swiftly.

Quickly looking about himself, he checked to make sure none of his blades would fall out from his belt at the staggering height of the steeple. He then strained his eyes to see a bail of hay far beneath him, next to a blacksmith's shop. _I hate jumping into those things from high up like this,_ Ezio thought. _If I were to miss, there's no doubt I would meet a swift death, and even when I do make it, they're uncomfortable to be in. _Lifting his eyes from his landing pad, he saw his target: an average sized man with brown hair walked sleepily onto his 3rd story balcony. He looked no more sinister than any man you would find on the street; but looks can be deceiving. Ezio had been stalking this man for the past four days, observing him, and figuring out his daily schedule. The man was a herald (a person who would announce the town's news to a crowd in a public place) who had been accusing Ezio of crimes he hadn't committed. Such a thing was unheard of. Unheard of, that is, amongst honest heralds above bribes. Bribes were nothing new to Ezio. After an assassination, the town it had taken place in would always be on high alert, so he would regularly bribe all of the local heralds so that they wouldn't say anything about his murders.

But Ezio hadn't been the one bribing this herald. He had seen Templars paying this herald every day to talk about him, which had made blending into the crowds difficult. With everyone hearing of _the assassin's crimes_, people were always on the lookout for him, ready to alert a town guard upon sight of him. He couldn't hope to match the Templars' bribes, and much less outdo them. Beating the herald up hadn't quieted the accusations, so bloodying his throwing knives was the only other option. Ezio reached down to his knife belt and produced a thin, curved blade attached to a comfortably gripped handle, no longer than his hand. He judged the distance from the top of the steeple to the balcony across the street, and began to draw his arm back.

The man rested his arms on the balcony's railing, and peacefully looked to the streets below. _Yes, _thought Ezio, _enjoy your last moments of life in peace. For that is how you shall rest for all of eternity: peacefully. _He focused his aim on the man's throat, then threw the knife swiftly through the air. The knife flew across the gap, but fell just a bit short. It embedded itself into the middle of the herald's chest, catching him off guard. _Merda! _Ezio thought to himself as he quickly drew another blade, _The __hit wasn't lethal. I'd best silence him with another knife, otherwise I might draw attention from the guards._ The man stumbled backwards into a wall as he clutched his chest, eyes wide with shock and pain. His entire chest was now wet with blood, as it flowed from the wound.

He choked out a yell. "G-guards! I've b-been attacked!" An archer atop a nearby roof looked down to the sound of the commotion, then quickly began scanning all of the roofs in sight for an attacker. The herald weezed in a breath of air, then used all the strength he could muster to pull the knife out. It came out on the first try, but he screamed in agony nonetheless. Blood gushed from the wound, pouring all down the man's torso. Ezio swiftly let another blade fly, but he was hasty in this throw. It went to the left of the man's head and collided with the wall. It was loud as it hit the stone, which caused the herald to look up. Tracing the path of flight the weapon had taken, he looked to the church steeple and saw Ezio.

"Assassin! Assassin! Up t-there, on top of the s-steeple!" The archer looked where the man had specified, and saw the attacker atop the steeple. He took aim, and fired an arrow. Ezio saw the arrow coming, and ducked out of the way just as it flew by. _F__iglio di una cagna!_ Ezio thought, _the damned archer saw me! Well I guess there's no point in trying to be stealthy anymore, I just need that herald dead. _Ezio put his throwing knife back in its belt, and raised his arm. There was a small pistol built into the vambrace he wore on his wrist, which he aimed at the herald.

The man had turned around, and was stumbling towards the doorway. Before he could reach it, Ezio fired his weapon. The bullet went right through the man's head, and he crumpled to the ground dead. The shot let out a loud _bang_, but it didn't matter, since Ezio had already been located. He dodged another incoming arrow, and fanned the smoke from the gunfire away from his face so that he could see the bail of hay he'd located earlier.

_May luck be with me. _Ezio thought to himself as he got ready to hurl himself to the streets below. He took one last moment to judge his jump again, then leaped off the steeple, to meet either death or refuge.


	2. Chapter II

Chapter II

Ezio landed with a comforting _crunch_ in the bail of hay. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, but as much as he wanted to stay in the hay for just a moment to calm down, he knew he couldn't. This wasn't over. Not yet. He wrestled up through the hay from the bottom of the pile, and finally emerged at the top. He looked up to see the archer standing agape with disbelief of the amazing sight he had just witnessed. _This is my chance!_ Ezio thought. While the archer was still frozen with shock, the assassin stood up from the hay and bolted for the nearest alley. As Ezio slipped through a small crowd of people standing outside the alley, he assumed the guard had regained his senses, as he heard him barking orders at other guards to follow the assassin. Ezio broke into a sprint as he heard a mob of guards yelling at the crowd to move out of the way. He emerged from the alley and looked for means to continue his escape. He saw some crates stacked in the street about ten yards away from him, so he leaped onto them and continued to climb the building they laid up against, using windows and cracks in the wall as footholds for his assent. As he pulled himself over the edge of the roof, Ezio saw the guards come out of the alley and into the street, frantically looking around in an effort to spot the assassin.

Now standing on top the building, Ezio surveyed the scene before him: there were a lot of houses around him, all within jumping distance. He spotted a few archers scattered amongst the buildings, but they were all oblivious to the chaos on the streets beneath them. After quickly deciding his route, Ezio ran forward and leaped from his previous building onto another one. He pulled himself up, and continued this process for another ten or twelve houses, until he was out of breath. He ran with careful speed, speed because he would be shot on sight if discovered, and careful because one slight misstep from the height of this building would send him plummeting to his death. As he sat panting on a rooftop after reaching his limit, Ezio suddenly heard an angry voice right in front of him.

"Hey! What are you doing up here? You belong down with the rest of the peasents! Down or I shoot!" He quickly realized that he'd neglected to notice the archer on this building, and had to come up with an alibi immediately.

"What? Oh, why I'm very sorry messer, I...was out late last night carousing with my friends you see, and my wife will get very mad if she finds out I was out at such hours, so I was hoping to make it home before she woke up. I'll just get down now if you don't-" The assassin was cut short.

"Wait a minute, no peasent would be carrying so many swords and knives on them..." The guard was suddenly aware of the commotion on the streets, and came to realization. "Hey! You're no civilian, you're an assassin!" The archer drew his sword angrily, and prepared to take a swing at Ezio's face.

"Cazzo!" Ezio said to himself, and evasively rolled away from the slash of the guard. The assassin drew his sword as he stood up, and brought the blade up to block another attack from the archer. As the guard stumbled back from the force of Ezio's block, the assassin took advantage of the opportunity and swung at his enemy's shoulder. The blade connected, and a sharp spray of blood shot from the wound, painting Ezio's blade red. The guard shrieked and dropped to the ground, his weapon falling from his hand as he went down. Ezio pulled his sword from where it was lodged, and brought it back to deliver the final blow. But while he left himself open, the guard quickly pulled a dagger from his belt and stabbed the assassin in the calf, tearing it out as painfully and damagingly as he could. Ezio yelped in agony, but still brought his blade down to behead his enemy. The sword went most of the way through the man's neck, but got caught in some flesh. Ezio pulled it out, and did his best to avoid looking at the gruesome sight at his feet. As he put his weapon in its sheath, he felt a throbbing pain in his calf where he'd been stabbed. The assassin dropped onto his good knee and examined the wound more thoroughly.

"Dannazione..." The blade had went completely through his leg, and torn down, leaving a gaping hole dripping with blood. Ezio looked around for a possible way to continue his escape. He spotted a canal over the edge of the building he was on, and formed a plan in his mind. _If I can't run back to the safehouse, I guess I'll have to swim._ He crawled to the edge of the building, then looked over the edge. It was a twenty yard drop to the water. _Merda, this is going to be harder than I thought. But it's either this, or I can be caught by the guards. Oh well. A minor inconvenience to live._ Ezio took a deep breath of air, dragged himself over the edge, and fell. He brought his hands together into a dive, and entered the freezing water. The shock of the cold abyss disoriented the assassin for a split second, but he quickly went right back into action. He swam to the top of the canal, then gasped in some air as he broke through the surface. He felt the ice-cold water flowing through the hole in his calf, but ignored the discomfort. He had to focus on moving forward.

Ezio swam down the canal towards the docks, hoping to find a path to refuge. As he silently swam along, he heard guards yelling in the streets, so he knew he'd have to continue to be stealthy. After a few minutes of swimming, he reached the docks. The sun was noticeably higher in the sky, and its reflection on the sea made it look like the water was on fire. Ezio saw a gondola parked nearby and swam over to it. He climbed aboard, and looked around to make sure there were no witnesses. The assassin then untied the boat from the dock, and rowed along as best he could on one knee, towards refuge.

* * *

After nearly an hour of rowing, Ezio finally steered his gondola into the cove of the safehouse. He was greeted by Antonio.

"Ezio!" Antonio shouted with a smile on his face, "It's good to see that you're alive! So did you silence that sniveling bastardo?" Ezio stepped off his gondola and onto the dock, then stumbled over to a bench as best as he could with his injured leg. Antonio was the leader of the Thieves' Guild in Venice, and often aided Ezio in his work. The master thief wore leather armor fashioned to look like average peasent clothing, and had a dark bushy mustache to match his long, scraggly hair. The two had known each other for a while, and were good friends.

"The herald breathes no more. I did receive a stab wound to my leg from an archer, though. I'd appreciate it if you could show me to some medicine."

"Oh, absolutely my friend. Here, take my arm." Antonio helped the assassin stand up, slung his arm over his shoulder, and walked towards the entrance to the building while supporting his friend. They entered into a cramped room with maps and plans strewn about, which Antonio quickly swept off the table with no regard as to where they might land. Ezio laid down on table and took off his left boot, so that the medicine could be applied to his injury. Antonio walked over to a cabinet and fiddled through the contents until he found what he was looking for. He produced a small vial of liquid and turned to face Ezio.

"There we go! Here, I'm going to apply this to your wound. It will cleanse it of infection, and help it heal faster," Antonio said as he walked over to the table. "Sorry if it burns; the pain will last for but a second." He poured the contents of the bottle onto a rag, then put it into Ezio's wound and scrubbed around as quickly as he could. The assassin winced for a second, but dealt with the discomfort.

"There," Antonio said triumphantly as he stepped back to dispose of the rag, "the wound is clean. Stay laying down on this table for a while; you shouldn't fully rely on that leg for at least a few days. You could use some rest, so it would be a good idea to get some sleep. I'll have my thieves remove any wanted posters of you during your absence."

"Thank you. I wish I could be back out there sooner, but I guess I'll just have to make due in hiding for now. I appreciate your help." Ezio said as he moved into a more comfortable position. He stretched his arms, yawned, then closed his eyes and slept.

"Sweet dreams, my friend." Antonio walked outside, closed the door quietly, and left his comrade to peace.


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III

Ezio opened his eyes to a dimly lit room. He lay on a table in the middle of the room. He didn't recognize it at first, so he tried to stand up to survey the room, but felt a sharp pain in his left calf. He looked down to see the source of the feeling, then remembered where he was. He sat back down on the table, and examined his wound as best he could in the poor light. It was still deep, but not as bad as before. The archer had torn quite a destructive hole, but the medicine had been doing its job. Almost half the wound had already healed, and Ezio figured that he could at least hobble around the hideout with his leg's current condition.

The assassin opened the door to the outside of the safehouse. He stepped out to see a courtyard surrounded by tall buildings, with the back of the courtyard leading out to a private dock. Antonio kept this place in good condition, as it was his base of operations for the Thieves' Guild. As Ezio hobbled over to a bench, he spotted Rosa. Rosa was the first thief he'd met when he arrived in Venice, and the assassin had certainly taken a liking to her.

"Rosa! Over here!" Ezio shouted, hoping to catch her attention.

"Ezio! It's good to see you're awake. You've been asleep for almost an entire day. I see you got a little scratch from a guard." Rosa said with a smile on her face. She would never admit to it, but she was relieved to see that her comrade was OK.

"I'd call it more than a scratch." Ezio laughed. Rosa stood in front of him, bruised and dirty as usual. She was a bit shorter than Ezio, and very thin. Most of her dark brown hair was tucked under a ratty-looking hat, but a bit of it fell onto her face. Her eyes were a very pale pale blue-ish gray, and she was dressed in what looked to be nothing more than rags.

"Well at least the herald is dead." Rosa said as she sat down onto the bench next to the assassin.

"I just hope the Templars don't bribe any more heralds. Killing one was enough, I really don't want to repeat the process."

"Well if they do, I'm sure you'll take care of them." She looked happily at Ezio, then turned her gaze out to the docks to view the high-noon sun illuminating the ocean. Suddenly, they heard a shout from the rooftop above them.

"Rosa! Rosa! Marco just got shot! There's an arrow in his chest, and the bleeding won't stop! We need help!" A voice from above them shrieked. Ezio looked up to see a young boy, no older than 13, leap down from the roof. He was scrawny, and covered in dirt. His hands were stained with blood, presumably that of Marco.

"Merda! How many times have I told you idioti, be careful when stealing! Take me to him, we need to get that arrow out." Rosa leaped off the bench and followed the boy up a ladder . Ezio heard yelling on top of the building, and the sound of metal clashing. After a few minutes, the sounds stopped, and Rosa returned down the ladder with a man slung over her shoulder, the young boy following.

"Open the door! He needs help!" Rosa yelled at Ezio. He walked over to the door as quickly as he could, and opened it. Rosa ran inside, and shouted for Antonio. He appeared from another room instantly and rushed to her aid. They laid the man, Marco, on the table where Ezio had been and got ready to remove the arrow. Antonio got some medicine and a rag ready, while Rosa gripped the shaft of the arrow. Rosa pulled, and there was the sickening sound of flesh stretching and tearing, as the arrow stayed in, and pulling on it only tore on Marco's skin. Marco shrieked in suffering, and Rosa pulled again. Blood was spurting everywhere now. Marco's entire front was drenched with it, and only more sprayed from the wound as Rosa tried desperately to remove it. Another pull. More screams. Ezio watched in silent horror as he saw poor Marco's life slip away before his very eyes. As the assassin saw the aftermath of the carnage on the roof unfold before him, he noticed that the young boy was standing in the doorway, staring wide-eyed with terror. Ezio turned his back on Marco to go take the boy from the grisly sight as Rosa tried yet again to pull the arrow out. This time he heard a snap, and Rosa cursed and shouted that the arrow was broken. She told Antonio she'd have to carve it out with her knife, and so she did. As Ezio approached the boy, he heard the sound of flesh being cut, and Marco screaming.

"Little one, come with me. This is a sight none of us need to see. Especially a child like you." The assassin took the boy by the shoulder, and led him out of the room. He closed the door behind him, and tried not to think of the macabre event happening behind the walls. The assassin sat on a bench, and looked to the child he had led from the room. The boy looked at Ezio with a tinge of fear in his eyes. His eyes were brown, and his hair was deep black. He finally gained the courage to speak.

"You-you're the assassin. The one they call a v-villain and a murderer." The boy stuttered a lot, and spoke in a hushed voice, most likely out of fear.

"I see you have been listening to the heralds. Murder I am guilty of, but I don't consider myself to be a villain." Ezio replied calmly.

"How could murder not be an act of villainy?" The boy asked, confused by Ezio's answer.

"Well, take a look at yourself. You steal. Do you see that as evil or villainous?"

"No. I steal because I have to." The boy said firmly.

"Exactly. I kill because _I have to._ I kill only the wicked or corrupt. Never an innocent." Ezio explained.

"I see what you mean. So you're kind of like me, except you..._kill_, while I steal." The boy looked satisfied, and much less afraid.

"Yes. Many don't understand, but I do not seek approval. Only peace." Said Ezio. "By the way, what is your name?"

"I'm Alfieri. And what's your name, assassin?"

" I am Ezio Auditore De Firenze. It's a pleasure to meet you." Ezio bowed for comedic effect, which caused Alfieri to laugh. He joined Ezio on the bench, and looked out at the ocean happily.

"Now I wonder Alfieri, how did a child like you end up as a thief?"

"I came into the guild because I had to. And I'm not a child; I'm just as good a thief as any other around here." Alfieri said, obviously annoyed at being referred to as a child.

"You had to? What happened?"

"My...my parents were killed. My father had a gambling problem, and he owed a lot of money to a nobleman. He owed so much money to so many people, that he couldn't pay the man back. One day the man brought a bunch of mercenaries to our house, and demanded my father give him all our money. He did as the nobleman said, but he got angry at my father and said the money wasn't enough. T-the mercenaries... killed my father. My mother tried to s-stop them, but they killed h-her too..." Alfieri was in tears now, so Ezio brought his arm around him to bring some comfort.

"It's alright Alfieri, I understand your pain. I too lost my family to a corrupt nobleman. My father and brothers were falsely accused of treason, and were hung. Were your parents your only family?"

"N-no... I have a sister, but when the mercenaries killed our parents, we were separated as we fled the house. I don't know where she is now. I h-haven't seen her in 3 years, since I was 10."

"No grandparents? Aunts, uncles...?" Ezio asked.

"No. None of our other family lives here, in Venezia. When I was wandering the streets as an orphan, Rosa found me and gave me a home here, so this is my family now." The boy said. He missed his parents and sister sorely, but was also very content living the life of a thief.

"Hmm... What was the name of this man who had your parents killed?" Ezio asked, forming a plan in his head.

"I don't know. He wore clothes with a family crest though."

"What was the crest?" Ezio inquired.

"A lion trapping a mouse trying to escape the beast under its paw. A fitting symbol for such filth."

"I see... Alfieri, I must go now. I have some work to do. Oh, and before I forget, what was your sister's name?" Ezio said, as he stood up as best he could with his injured calf.

"Her name is Celestino. She should be eighteen now." Alfieri said.

"And your surname?" Mused Ezio.

"Babocci." Replied the boy.

"Very well then," said the assassin as he turned to hobble away. "I will hope to see you later. Be careful, or you could meet the same fate as your comrade, Marco." Both of them looked to the door, where they observed the muffled screams had stopped. Marco was either healed, or dead. Most likely, the latter.

"Yes, Messer Auditore." Alfieri responded stiffly.

"Please," said the assassin as he turned to walk into the now bustling street, "call me Ezio."


	4. Chapter IV

Chapter IV

Ezio limped along the street. His leg was healing quickly, but he still couldn't rely on it too much. He continued along the busy market street nonetheless, making his way through large crowds of people. It was afternoon, so the sun hung high in the Venetian sky, with barely any clouds blocking its radiance. The assassin wasn't looking to buy anything in the market though. He was looking for the coat of arms Alfieri had described to him. After seeing how much this evil nobleman had hurt poor Alfieri, Ezio simply couldn't allow such injustices to slip by unpunished. Once his leg was healed, Ezio hoped to kill this man for his crimes. There were a few problems though. For one, he could barely walk due to the stab wound in his calf; and he didn't even know the name of this man, let alone his location, whether it be in Venice or anywhere for that matter.

But Ezio had a plan. He was scouring the entire city for the nobleman's family crest, in hopes of locating him. Once he'd found him, he would assassinate him, to avenge the death of Alfieri and Celestino's parents. The assassin walked onward, planning to spend the rest of his day traveling the city in search of the crest.

* * *

_Merda!_ Thought Ezio. _I've spent all day looking around the city for this coat of arms, but I've seen nothing even remotely like it._ He walked along an empty alley, by the dim light of some street torches. It was nearly midnight, and he'd had no success in finding the crest described to him. _Maybe I should form a new plan... Of course! Celestino! Alfieri's sister! Most homeless girls her age end up as courtesans, so it shouldn't be hard to find her. I'll ask Sister Teodora if she has any girls going by that name, and try to find her. Maybe she'll have seen a 'customer' bearing that crest._ Ezio pulled a map of Venezia from his pocket, and looked to the places he'd marked. The courtesans 'building' was only a half hour walk from his current location, so he knew he'd have no trouble getting there, even with his injury. The assassin awkwardly stepped out of the alley, and set off for his destination.

* * *

Ezio rapped on the door three times. A young woman who appeared to be in her twenties answered the door. She was wearing a tasteless dress. It barely went below her knees, and the straps were undone, leaving part of her breasts visible. She wore her blond hair in to buns on her head, as was custom among prostitutes, as they were forced to dress a certain way if they wished to continue their 'business'; they had to dress differently because law officials wanted them to be made distinctively separate from respectable society.

"Why hello there, sir," The woman said seductively. "Is there any way I can help you?" She smiled flirtatiously, so Ezio knew he had better get to his real reason for being there, lest he get 'sidetracked'.

"Ehrm, yes," said the assassin awkwardly. "I would like to speak with Teodora. I'm here strictly on business, madame. Tell her that Ezio is outside, awaiting her aid in some urgent business."

"Oh." said the courtesan, obviously annoyed that he wasn't here to spend any money. "I'll get her for you. Wait where you are, she'll be out in a moment." The woman shut the door in Ezio's face, and left him standing outside. He stood there for a few minutes until the door reopened, and Teodora stepped outside. Teodora was about the same height as Ezio, and had long brown hair tucked partially behind a nun's veil, and pretty blue eyes. Teodora had an interesting story to tell: originally a nun, she left the convent to form her own brand of faith, mixing religion with prostitution. She gave homeless girls shelter if they worked under her, so she was doing _some _good. She still considered herself a nun, as was visible by the Rosary she wore around her neck. She walked up to Ezio and greeted him.

"Ezio, it's good to see you again. I was told you needed my help. Do you require the use of my girls to distract some guards again?"

"No," Ezio replied. "I need only your knowledge. I seek a young girl, now eighteen. She had no home last I heard of her, so I assumed that she might be working for you. Her name is Celestino. Celestino Babocci De Venezia."

"Hmm... Celestino... Yes... Yes, I believe I have a girl named Celestino. I sent her out to the Military District earlier tonight with some other girls. If they have been successful in their business, they probably won't return until the early hours of the morning. If they were unsuccessful, I'd expect them in about an hour's time." Teodora said to the assassin. "Please, come inside. I can provide you with a bed if you wish to sleep until their arrival, and a companion if you don't."

"Um, I'd prefer to board alone, but thank you for your, err, 'offer'." Said Ezio uncomfortably. "If you could wake me upon Celestino's arrival, I would appreciate it."

"Of course," said Teodora, "whatever you want. Follow me." The woman opened the door, and led Ezio inside. The house was in mediocre condition at best, and was lit by dim candles mounted on the walls. There was a semi-sturdy looking staircase leading up to a second floor, on the left of the entrance. To the right of the door were numerous doors leading to small rooms, which the assassin tried to ignore the muffled sounds coming from. Undergarments and empty bottles of ale were strewn about the tables and floor, but Teodora walked right on top of them as if they weren't even there. Ezio assumed she must've gotten used to it by now, and paid no real attention to such minor things anymore. He walked around them as best he could, and followed Teodora down a hallway to a door. She opened it, and they entered into a tidy room with a bed and a desk. The light was brighter in here, as there were more candles.

"Here, I keep this room in top condition for when I have special guests. My quarters are right next door if you need anything." The woman stated. "Well, I'll leave you to your own privacy. See you later, my comrade."

"Grazie, Teodora." Ezio said as she gently closed the door. He walked over to the bed, and laid down. He removed his boots and administered some medicine to his wound from a bottle Antonio had given to him. He then closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter V

Chapter V

Ezio's eyes snapped open as he heard someone knock on his door. He sat up on his bed, and scratched his head sleepily. He couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour, so the person who knocked on his door was most likely Teodora, bringing him Celestino.

"Come in." said the assassin. The door opened, and sure enough, in stepped Teodora and another woman. The woman she led had to be Celestino, but whether it was the Celestino Ezio sought after was yet to be determined.

"What time is it?" He inquired.

"A few hours till dawn." Stated the 'nun'.

"So, this is Celestino, the girl I told you about," said Teodora. "I'll leave you two to whatever business you have planned. If you require my aid for anything, I'll be in my room." She turned away from Ezio, walked out, and closed the door behind her. Celestino stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what to make of the man with all of his swords and knives. She was a good-looking girl. She was short - nearly a head shorter than Ezio - but it only added to her appeal. Her hair was the almost the exact same deep black color as Alfieri's, and her eyes were a perfect match in color. She was garbed in the same revealing outfit as every other girl working under Teodora, except she kept the straps of her dress tied, maybe in an attempt to cover her breasts more.

"Have a seat," said the assassin kindly while gesturing to the chair opposite his bed, "make yourself comfortable. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"It depends - what do you want?" She said with a scowl on her face. It was easy to tell she was suspicious of Ezio, and didn't trust him in the slightest.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions about your past. About your life before working for Teodora. When you were just Celestino Babocci. About your parents. About the man who killed them."

"N-no! You must be working for him! I'll never help you!" She screamed as she prepared to bolt out the door. Ezio quickly stood up and firmly grabbed her by the arm to prevent an escape.

"I'm not working for him. I'm here to help you. Please, calm down." He said soothingly.

"Then how do you know all about me?" She demanded angrily. Celestino tried to pull away, but the assassin stood his ground.

"I talked with your brother, Alfieri." He responded.

"A-Alfieri?" She asked, wide eyed with shock at the mention of his name. She stopped struggling. "He's still alive?"

"Yes. He now lives the life of a thief. Please, do sit down." Said Ezio. Celestino sat down quietly, a few beads of sweat dripping off her face from trying to break the assassin's grip.

"A thief? How is he? Where is he? Please, take me to him!" She said rapidly.

"Calm down, calm down," said Ezio, "I will tell you everything. First off, my name is Ezio Auditore De Firenze. You may have heard of me through a local wanted poster. Now to explain." He sat down on his bed, hunched over, and looked up at Celestino. "But I must warn you, by associating yourself with me you take the risk of being arrested for treason. Righteous treason, but treason nonetheless."

"I don't care. I only wish to see my brother." She said determinedly.

"Right then," said Ezio, "I shall tell you of how I became the most wanted man in Italia, and how your revenge ties into it. It all started years ago..." Ezio began telling her of his family's murder, of the Templars and Assassins, and his plan to kill the Templar leader. He then told her about Alfieri's involvement in the Thieves' Guild, and how he was doing. Celestino was relieved to hear of her brother's safety, and then inquired as to why the assassin had sought her out. He told her about his plan to punish the man with death, and how he'd tried locating the nobleman by seeking out his family crest, and that it was nowhere to be found in Venezia. Ezio then explained that he thought she might have seen the crest, so he had looked for her.

"Hmmm.... That crest sounds slightly familiar... Yes! There was a man I 'served' a few weeks ago who had clothes bearing that symbol. He didn't look anything like the nobleman I remembered, so he might have been a brother or cousin. I can't believe I never connected them." She said excitedly.

"Perfect!" Exclaimed the assassin. "Did he live here? Tell me everything you remember about him." He now sat up straight, ready to absorb every detail given to him by Celestino.

"He was obviously rich, judging by the fine materials he wore. He was also younger than the man from 3 years ago. That one had gray hair and a bushy beard, but this man had brown hair and a shaved face. He was about your height, and spoke in a smooth, calm voice. The man who had my parents slaughtered had a deep, gravelly voice. Also, he didn't live here. He told me he was vacationing from Firenze with his family who lived there with him, and had connections with the Doge of Venice, so he came often."

"Florence... Maybe it's time I went back to my hometown..." Said Ezio. "I'll need time to think about that."

"Well now that I've told you what I know about him, can you please take me to my brother? I miss him dearly."

"Of course, would you like to set out now, or later? It's late now, so the streets might not be safe, but I can fend off virtually anyone in this city. I will take you whenever you wish." He offered.

"Please, right now."

"Alright then," Said the assassin. "I will notify Teodora of our departure." He stood up from the bed, barely noticing the minor sting in his left calf. He slipped on his boots, then opened the door and walked a few steps down the dim hallway. He tapped lightly on Teodora's door, and let himself in. Her room was brightly lit, and furnished with fancy-looking rugs and furs. Her bed was large and had many pillows on it, some appearing to be silk. The wall was painted deep blue, and she sat at a table across from the door reading a book. As the assassin entered the room, she looked up at him.

"Hello. Is everything fine with Celestino?" She inquired.

"Yes. I'd like to take her out to meet someone, if that's alright with you." Ezio explained.

"Of course. Keep her as long as you wish. Have fun, il mio amico." She said, implying a few things.

"What? Wait, that's not what we're... I … Goodbye, Teodora." He stuttered quickly, flustered by her jokes. He exited the room, and closed the door. He turned to Celestino, and beckoned her to follow him down the hallway. They walked through the dimly lit building, and came out into the main room. Ezio strode over to the exit, and opened the door for Celestino.

"After you." He said.

"Why thank you." She laughed. They continued outside, and walked onward, towards the building across town where Alfieri was. The streets were dark, and alleys menacing. Ezio kept his arms ready to trigger his hidden blades just in case he needed to.

After walking for about ten minutes, Ezio broke the silence between himself and the courtesan.

"So how did you end up working for Teodora?" He mused.

"Right after I was thrown into the life of a street orphan, I needed a home. Teodora promised me food and shelter, which she _did_ provide, but at an unpleasant cost."

"'Unpleasant cost'? You are not fond of prostitution?" Ezio asked.

"I hate it. I have to work as a dirty street whore every day just to eat. I wish to escape this filthy lifestyle any way that I can." Stated Celestino, angry with her position in life.

"Well once I put this bastardo to eternal rest, maybe we can find you a job you're more fond of." Said Ezio.

"Really? That would be wonderful. Thank you." She said as she stopped in front of a street torch. As she smiled at Ezio, he saw for a moment how truly beautiful she was. As she turned away to continue her stride, the assassin had to pull his hood even closer to his face to hide his now red face.

They continued walking for another forty five minutes, until they finally walked up to the entrance of Antonio's building. Ezio led Celestino through an arched doorway into the courtyard. There were a few dim torches scattered along the walls of the buildings, but it was dark for the most part. The assassin walked over to a door that led to the Guild's sleeping quarters. He opened it, and they stepped into a dark hallway with bland stone walls. They walked along it until it turned to another hall, with a torch at the entrance of this one. They continued down the hall until they reached a door with two men seated outside it. They were both sitting in chairs opposite one another, clutching beer mugs and giggling like fools. Ezio quietly opened the door they sat in front of, and signaled Celestino to stay outside. As he gently pulled the door closed, he heard one of the drunks dirtily ask Celestino if she was looking for a companion tonight, and she replied with an equally dirtily worded no.

He walked past several rows of beds in the dark room filled with sleeping men until he spotted young Alfieri sprawled across a mat in the corner. Ezio walked over to him, crouched down, and tapped his shoulder a few times to wake him. He then whispered into his ear, "Alfieri, it's me: Ezio. Wake up." to get his attention. Alfieri rolled over to sleepily face the assassin.

"Hm? Ezio? Why are you here?" He asked while yawning.

"I have someone here to see you," he explained, "get up and follow me. I'll show you." He stood up and signaled the boy to follow him. Alfieri rose from his mat, stretched, and quietly follow the assassin. Ezio opened the door a crack and slipped out, Alfieri following him. One of the drunks was laughing and teasing the other about just being rejected by a prostitute, to which the other replied with a swift swat to his face. The other quickly leaped from his chair and tackled his friend, and they wrestled to the floor. Ezio casually stepped over the men locked in each other's grip and continued down the hall, and Alfieri did the same. They stepped into the courtyard to see Celestino's turned back as she looked out at the moon-lit ocean.

"Over here." Ezio beckoned her. She turned, and saw the pair standing in the torchlight.

"Is that him? Is-is that really Alfieri?" She asked hopefully.

"What? How do you know my name?" Asked Alfieri confusedly. "Who is this?" Ezio beckoned her to come into the torchlight so that her brother could see her better, and possibly recognize her. She stepped forward, her entire body now illuminated by the flame hanging upon the wall. Alfieri's eyes went wide with shock when she did this, as he instantly recognized her.

"C-Celestino? Is that really you?" He asked, wonder in his eyes.

"Little brother?" She replied.

"It really is you! Celestino!" Alfieri ran forward and joyfully hugged his long-lost sister. She received him in her arms graciously, with tears of joy pouring down her face.

"Piccolo fratelo," she said happily, "I never thought I'd see you again!"

"I felt the same! I'm so happy to see you!" He replied. Ezio smiled to himself, knowing he'd done well, and stepped out into the street so that the siblings could happily reunite in private. He sat down on a bench, and thought out for a while how he intended to find this nobleman in Florence. _I'll take a ship to Forli as soon as possible, then ride on horseback as far as I can through the mountains in the same day. Once I get to Firenze, I'll do my best to scope out his location and figure out a plan to assassinate him._ The thought of assassinating a corrupted nobleman in Florence brought back thoughts of Ezio's first assassinations, wiping out the treacherous Pazzi family. He sat on the bench for a while longer lost in thought, until Antonio stepped out into the street and joined him in sitting.

"I see you've reunited young Alfieri with his sister. You did a good thing, my friend. Without you, this would've never happened." He said, smiling with encouragement.

"Thank you, Antonio," Said the assassin, "but I have a question to ask of you. Why did you allow Alfieri into your ranks at such a young age? You turn away all other children."

"Ah, I figured you'd ask eventually." Said Antonio. "The boy has a gift. He seems like he was... I don't know, _born_ to run. His agility is unmatched among even our oldest and most skilled thieves, and he has the swiftest fingers in all Venezia. I asked him if he'd had experience in petty crime and athletics before joining us, and he said he didn't. It just seems to be like some kind of, _inherited traits_, or something of that odd nature. I don't understand it, but as long as he isn't caught thieving, I am happy." He said, satisfied.

"I see... Hm, that _is_ odd. But I must prepare to depart for Florence now. I have important business there, and the sooner I get it done, the better. Please excuse me." Ezio said as he stood to leave. He walked back into the courtyard where Alfieri and Celestino were catching up, and went over to them. Alfieri was saying something about a great gem he'd stolen from the Doge once, when he stopped short on sight of the assassin. Celestino turned around to face him, and her face lit up when she saw him.

"Ezio! Thank you so much for reuniting us! I cannot thank you enough!" She said happily. She then stood up, walked over to him, and kissed him on both cheeks. "Thank you so, so much."

"It, err, was nothing..." He said, suddenly losing his train of thought at the meeting of Celestino's sweet lips. "I... Right, I need to tell you both something. I am leaving tomorrow for Firenze, to kill this bastardo. I won't return until he breathes no more, or I in failure." He stated. Both of the siblings looked disappointed that they had to see him leave, but understood he was doing this for them, and that he wouldn't move on his decision.

"OK," said Alfieri disappointedly, "but be careful. I want you to show me some of your combat skills when you come back."

"Hopefully you won't ever need them, but alright." Promised the assassin.

"I can't thank you enough for this. Please be careful." Said Celestino. Ezio put his hand to her face comfortingly.

"I will be fine. Antonio will happily house you here for a while, so you don't have to sell yourself out on the streets for now. Goodbye. I will think of you two often in my travels." He said as he turned to leave. He walked out to the street, and set off for Leonardo's workshop. He would collect any belongings he had there, then get on the first ship to Forli from the docks in the morning. He now was determined to avenge the siblings loss. Not only for young Alfieri, but especially for the beautiful Celestino. He walked toward the dawn, the feeling of her lips still resting on his cheeks.


End file.
